Wig Studio 1 News

 So many women that I’ve talked with or heard from lately are saying that they are ready to give up the coloring processes and learn to love their hair the way it is now. Often that means a form of gray, silver, or white hair. The situation with wig wearers is a bit different. We can change our color any time and with little fuss. But the same desire might still be there. How can we make such a drastic change with ease? 

Shades of silver, gray, or white don’t have to mean “old” or mean any age. However, the challenge seems to be learning how to make that change. If you have worn a brunette wig for five years, should you just turn up one day in a lovely gray or silver wig? What if you’ve not shared your wig journey with others who see you every day, should you have a transition color/wig? There is no one answer to that question. It all depends upon your comfort level. Fortunately, there are resources to support any decision you make. 

If you do decide to “just go for it” get help if you think you need it—learn what brands carry the wig styles and cap construction that you prefer if you are new to wigs. If you already know all about caps, styles, brands, and what works best for you, then you are ahead of the game. All you need to decide is if the colors you are considering are found in the styles that you like…or is it time to re-visit other styles that might have colors that you love? 

Tips from the professionals about choosing a color/shade and style: 

• Go for a soft color, and one with dimension. Nothing screams “fake” like a flat solid root-to-tip color with no variation. 
• Color should always be multi-tonal, especially as you age. That is true for blondes as well.  
• Remember, in most cases, we lose a “plumpness” in our faces as we age. The styles that looked good on us at thirty might look a bit harsh now. Example: a too-blunt bob, close to the jawline and with no layering can be a very severe look. 
• Go for a layered style, and one a little below the jawline. 
• Tone—is so important, and wig wearers must learn how to care for their wigs to protect the wig’s color/tone. 

If we must look at new styles to find the colors we like, there is that question again: Short or long as we age? This is the question that never goes away. Ask yourself if your style makes your face look younger or older. Does the too-long hair pull the face down? Would you look better with a shorter, more face-flattering style? So many people get caught up in the look of the wig on a model—we need to be interested in how the wig looks on us with our face shape, and our coloring—huge difference.  

 Don’t be afraid to claim your color—and don’t be afraid of shades of gray! Try different shades/tones and get help if you need it. There are in-between colors that you can choose, but often the salt/pepper colors age us more than a lovely silver or white. It’s all about shade/tone, color, and style.  

If you had rather take the plunge more slowly, there are some lovely options. Ellen Wille Smoke Mix and Pearl Rooted are lovely, and Raquel Welch Silver and Smoke, Iced Granita, and Silver Mist come to mind.  

Skin Tone! We must not forget that our skin tone will play a big role in how we look in these shades of gray, silver, or white. Yes, it is ever important as we age because our skin tone changes. Know your skin tone as it is NOW and that will help you key in on colors/shades that will look best on you. For example, if you have a cool skin tone you likely already know that ashy colors, shades of honey, beige, and gray work well for you. Just remember, the tone and color gradient, and dimension are the keys for gray shades just as it is for any color. Flat equals fake.  

I am reminded of two in particular that I have recommended before when writing about the fear of going gray. Just two of my favorites. Notice the dimension, and the shadings. No flat, drab and lifeless look with these!   

Until next time, here I am thinking that I might go gray…maybe silver.  

Vickie Lynn  

(Wig shown above: Ready For Takeoff by Raquel Welch)

Of course, we all want to have approval from those we care most about, and that includes friends as well as family. From the time we were old enough to look around and observe others and our surroundings, we have been making judgments about what we see. It’s human nature to compare ourselves to our peers and to want to be as accomplished, attractive, and smart as those around us. And while we know we will be judged, sometimes we are our own harshest critic.

But what about your other critics? Did you grow up in a family with a strict parent with his or her own unbreakable code of what was good, bad, right, and wrong? Did your mother critique your looks, and did she key in on any perceived flaws and not mention the good? Does your spouse or significant other feel free to point out their opinions about everything, including your hair, clothes, and ideas, even if they are not asked? Do you have a friend or friends who you can count on to give you the once over and then point out everything they consider, not quite right? Or maybe that’s a sister, cousin, or other relatives. How do you take this in? Can you brush it off, or does it start to color how you think about yourself?
Even someone with a lot of confidence can be affected by constant negativity.

This is a common complaint with new wig wearers: “my husband/son/daughter/sister doesn’t like the wig on me.” Or hearing… “The wig makes you look….” fill in the blank. Sometimes, our friends or family member can’t even see that what they are saying is bothering us. Maybe they think their “constructive criticism” is something you want. Growing up I had an aunt whose mission in life seemed to be pointing out all of everyone’s flaws, to our faces, and with an audience. It was a great learning experience for me because I was careful to never do this to anyone. And I learned that not everyone’s opinion mattered.
As hard as it is, it is up to us to draw the boundary lines. Other than avoiding these people, is the only way to stop it. However, if we are asking for their input, we must learn to weigh what they say. How much weight does what they say carry for us? Is it out of proportion to reality? Are the person or people making critiques an expert on wigs or hair, for example? Are they just prejudiced when it comes to a color like blondes for example (do they love them or hate them)? Either way, it has no bearing at all on the blonde wig you just bought. Is it all about them or our wig purchase? It is crucial to figure that out before we take in any critique of our wigs.

The wig journey: No one warns you before you start down this path that you will have a psychological journey as well. It can be hard at times. Not only must you deal with your hair loss issues and try to wade through the vast amount of information on wigs, but you must also find one that you hope will work for you. One is rarely prepared to face an onslaught of opinions that others feel free to give.

My best advice is to always consider the source. Along with that, seek out help from professionals. Watch the wig demos on the WigStudio1 page, follow the reviewers on their pages, and soon you will feel more confident. It took me a while to learn that I just couldn’t take a wig from the box, plop it on my head and have it look like the woman in the ad. I had to get over the fear of “messing with it” and I had to learn how to style it.

Once you educate yourself about wigs, you will have the confidence to listen to your voice and learn to filter out others that have no real bearing on the issue at all.

Have a great holiday season, and remember, it is a good time of year to step out of our rut. If like me, you tend to stick with what you know works, sometimes you need a little incentive to try new styles and colors. It was like Christmas for me last weekend as I washed and put away three wigs and got out three others to start a new rotation. That reminded me that change is good and that trying new styles and colors can be very good.

For some reason, the shorter styles were calling my name. I put on Raquel Welch’s “Ready for Takeoff” and the cap was so comfortable that I hardly knew I had it on. Now, that makes me very happy.

Take care,

Vickie Lynn

Are you at that place where you are hanging on to old styles and colors long after you should have let them go? How do you know when it’s time? Because in addition to the obvious wig aging there are other reasons to let that wig go. So, what are the indicators that you are holding on to something that is doing you no favors?

But one thing to consider before we start tossing our old wigs, we might consider if we can revive any of them. Should we spend the time and resources to rescue our old wigs—in other words--should they be rescued? The short answer is yes, if that wig can be made wearable again, then it is worth trying if only to sell it or donate it. Maybe it is time to move on for you and the wig, but that wig might be perfect for someone else and very much needed.

Another thing to consider: Have you stopped actually “seeing yourself” in the mirror? Psychologists tell us that we do one of two things most often in this regard: we look but don’t “really look” because we think that we already know what we will see. Or we look too much, too closely, criticizing every part, angle, and perceived flaw. Either way, we are not seeing ourselves as we are, or as others see us.

There is the day we notice a little line on our faces and wonder how long it had been there. We catch a close-up look at the ends of our favorite wig and wonder then they got raggedy or stiff. Change is often slow, and when the accumulation of it is finally enough, we notice, and we are shocked. But if we had been looking, we would have seen it in progress. But we are busy humans and who has time to stand in front of the mirror and look at themselves all the time? Or inspect our wig every time we take it off? And therein lies part of the dilemma as to why one day we do look in the mirror and wonder why we ever bought that wig in the first place. The style, the color, doesn’t seem to be us anymore—sound familiar?

Wigs are even more of a challenge than coloring and cutting bio hair. First, they cost more, and you hope the relationship will be a long one because it doesn’t grow out if you have made a mistake. So, we are afraid of making a mistake, and because of that we often default back to our old styles and colors, trying so hard to get something “close to what I had before” and we think that is a good thing. It is not always a good thing. Maybe your lifestyle has changed. Maybe you retired, or work from home now and can be less structured in your life, including your look. Maybe you like short wigs for summer and want to take things up a notch with new styles or lighter colors. Don’t worry about trying to copy your old styles. There are many styles that look good on many people. The wig companies know that and why there are so many bobs of different lengths and short boy/pixie cuts.

When a friend of mine got a new wig (a first wig) and asked my advice I cringed because it made her look ten years older. Suddenly, she looked like her mother, and it was the wig—color and style. Both were wrong for her, and I had to tell her. I asked her to try on two of my wigs to see the difference in how she could look just to make my point that there were wigs for her that would work. I loaned her the one of mine she liked best and she forgave me for telling her that her new wig made her look older. She was able to swap it out, and she learned a good lesson.

The moral to my story is don’t be so intent on reviving your old wigs that you can’t see it is time to move on. Some might work, like one of the two that I worked on recently. Trying to revive an old wig can be frustrating and time-consuming because success can depend on so many things: age, wear and tear level, general care, type of fibers, and style. The one that I was able to rescue was in great condition because I had just stopped wearing short wigs for some time and had put it away (and had forgotten about it) before it had suffered much abuse. It just needed some TLC. Sadly, the other one had seen better days. Is it time to revive it for ourselves, or time to sell or donate? Rescue or toss season at my house seems to happen in the spring, even for wigs! 

Now, it’s holiday season time, and what better time to gift ourselves with a new wig? A new style and color would perk me right up. How about you? 

Until next time,  

Vickie Lynn (in my Muse, which seems to last forever).  

(Wig shown above: 100% Human Hair Bang by Raquel Welch)

Yes, it is bound to happen. But we are still shocked and confused when it does. One day we are so happy with our wig, our look, and we are comfortable. Then the next day or the next, we look in the mirror and think, hum, am I in a rut? Suddenly that look, that wig that you loved, and still do, just looks sort of boring.

We all know that this happens in all areas of our life. We become tired of our clothes often long before they are old. We want to try new paint colors in our homes and change out the furniture in the living room. So, why should we be surprised that we sometimes need a change of hairstyle and/or color?

Changing your hair/wig style and color is so much easier and less costly than getting new furniture or a new wardrobe, so let’s take a look at that process. How do you decide what to try next? Are you ready to get out of your comfort zone? Or if you are like me, ready for a slight move but nothing to distract.

The great thing about wigs, and especially buying a wig from Wig Studio 1, is that you can get a lot of help before you make the big decision to buy a new wig in a new style and/or color. Between the just-for-you FaceBook group with input from staff and other wig wearers, you can learn about first-hand experiences and likely see a picture or two of how that wig looks on a real person. 

I know that for me, seeing other wig wearers, and learning about their experience with certain brands and styles has been most helpful. The wig reviews on FaceBook and the reviewers on the YouTube channel are invaluable. Take advantage of all these resources because it might make your decision easier. It did for me. 

In the end, the decision will be yours, and sometimes it helps to just give it some time. It will be to our benefit to do our homework, and to remember what it was we liked about our current wig(s) in the first place. What are we bored with exactly—color, style, length, wig cap? Once we have a clear idea of what it is we want to change it will help us narrow down our options. 

One of the great things about wig-wearing is the ease with which we can make changes to our looks. I know what colors and lengths look best on me, and when I want to branch out, I normally go to something in the same color family and just change the style/length. This too can get boring, but I have two wigs sitting in boxes in my closet that I know I will never wear because I made an impulsive decision one day. But I also have a couple in boxes that I have recently re-visited and wondered why I had not been wearing them more often. The moral of the story, we do get bored, but we can also change our preferences. Though I know I will never wear the blonde wig with too much gold in it, I will very likely wear two other wigs I had put aside for reasons that I couldn’t recall when I was looking through my options.

I recently went for a longer style, and guess what? I loved it. As long as I have been writing about wigs, I can still be surprised. One of the many great things about wigs is that they let our imagination roam free. We can surprise ourselves as much as we can surprise others. Life is short, and we are often caught up in all we must do for others and ourselves, and sometimes we put ourselves last on all our lists. But if we are at our best, we can be our best for others too.

Don’t let yourself get into a rut with your style or color. Just do your homework, and don’t do it on a whim. When you are ready--change it up! Life is short. I will bet that, like me, you will be happy that you did. Embrace another version of your best self.

Me in my newest, Raquel Welch, “Crowd Pleaser” in shaded cappuccino.

Until next time,
Vicke Lynn

(Wig shown above: Elle Wig by Jon Renau)

I ask myself, who am I kidding? Wigs are like chips or chocolate; one is never enough. I have long come to terms with the fact that I will not stop looking at wigs, wanting more wigs, and buying new wigs. Of course, we must replace our old and worn ones, but if you are a seasoned wig wearer, you, like I, look for new styles and colors regularly. And that is part of the fun with wigs. We can change our style and color in minutes. No more waiting for a bad haircut to grow out or sitting in a salon for hours getting cuts, color, and all the rest. 

  Wigs continue to get better and more popular every year. There is a good reason for this. There are many benefits to wig wearing other than the obvious—needing an addition to or replacement for your bio hair. Wigs are everywhere—from your coworkers, the lady at the bank, your next-door neighbor, your friend at church, famous singers, Hollywood stars, and models on the catwalk.  

 So, what are those many benefits you may be asking if you are a new wig wearer or are contemplating buying one (or more)? Below are just some of the benefits that come to mind, and you seasoned wearers may have even more. 

• Special occasion! You can change your entire look to match your outfit and the occasion without costly visits to the salon for that special night out, party, or wedding. 
• Lots of Options: You can change your style and color without spending hours in the salon, and you can stay close to your natural color or step way out of the box, and experiment with color and style. 
• Saving time: Think of all the time you spend or have spent in the salon, and in front of the mirror trying to style your hair the way you want it. Maybe extra time trying to camouflage thinning area or a thinning area. Wigs are lifesavers if you are running late, traveling, and just can’t devote time and energy to your hair. 
•  Confidence Restored: Whether you just want a change, have a special occasion, or have no time to spend on your hair, or if you know that your hair is thinning and it messes with your confidence, a wig can help you be the you that you want to show people. 
• Protection for your bio hair: Overexposure to hair coloring chemicals, blow-drying, and other hair treatments can take a toll on your hair and scalp over time. You can give your hair and scalp a break by wearing a wig, even if it is just once a week.  
• No bad hair days: Wigs put an end to bad hair days. 
• Wearing wigs can save you money: Unless you do indeed have a real wig addition, several wigs a year might cost you less than those regular salon visits, hair coloring, hair treatments, and care products—not to mention the cost of your time. 

For me, it’s all about confidence and convenience. I used to hate those hours in the salon chair, and the cost. Then, I was stuck for months with the same style and color if I liked it or not. For me, even factoring in the cost of wigs and wig care products, I rarely spend per year what I had spent before in the salons. I also love having the no-fuss wigs, the shake-and-go ones. I used to spend so much time with my fine hair, even when I had a lot of it, trying to get it into some style that was flattering and that would stay. I would leave the house in a bad mood because of my hair! You will have your reasons, but yes, I am addicted to wigs because they make my life easier. 

Until next time, think about those lovely new styles for fall and winter, and don’t forget to watch for those sales! I am wearing RW Muse SS Cappuccino in this picture. It took me 60 seconds to put it on and go! 

Vickie Lynn 

(Wig shown above: UPSTAGE WIG BY RAQUEL WELCH)

Most of us see what we are looking for; at first—the color of the wig, style, and length, and we imagine how it will look on us. It is only later that we think of what makes the wig what it is. The cap is vital: not only to our comfort, but it makes a difference in how the wig holds up. There are several types of caps, as most have learned by now.

 Since the labor and materials used to create a varies, the price can be affected. It’s hard to talk about cap construction without talking about permatease. Some love it, some hate it, and some learn to appreciate it as necessary for some styles. Some manufacturers refer to it as “machine teased,” and that’s as good a name for it as any.

 It is a structural component placed in some wigs to give it volume where the style demands. In reality, permatease is short matted fibers that are usually placed at the top of the wig to give it that permanent lift.  In longer wigs, the fibers are placed/crimped to hide wefting and add volume. Most basic caps come with some level of permatease, usually in the crown area. Some with a monofilament crown or part may have some permatease but not as much as an open cap wig.

  Love it or hate it, there are some pros to permatease. It helps maintain the style, and the less that you must style the wig, the longer it will last. It helps hide wefting. Because it is found more often in basic caps and open wefting, you have a wig more comfortable to wear in summer weather. Wefting allows for more air circulation. Of course, we need to also think about the cons. Since permatease is short fibers, the wigs heavy on permatease tend to come with flyaways. But they can be tamed, and over time they will flatten out on their own with a bit of help from your conditioner. The one thing that I hear most wig wearers complain about is too much volume due to the permatease. It makes the wig look too “wiggy” and unnatural. That’s the tradeoff it seems. Though some manufacturers seem to have caught on that wig wearers want more realistic looks, and the permatease that I have seen most recently has been done better. 

If we don’t want to wear human hair wigs, for whatever reason, we are left to find our way to what works best for us. There are many benefits to synthetic wigs. They are more affordable than human hair wigs, and if given good care can last up to a. year, depending on the style. They come in many colors, and there are plenty of options of low or no permatease to choose from. Synthetic wigs are lighter than human hair wigs, and cooler, and can be more comfortable to wear. Your synthetic wig won’t react to the weather. Hot, cold, rainy, or dry, your wig will continue to look the same. My favorite thing about them is that they are easy to wear because they are easy to style. They have style retention, and with a bit of “training”, they can look great with a minimum of fuss.  

Low maintenance is a lovely thing. Synthetic wigs are less delicate than human hair wigs and require less upkeep. But that doesn’t mean NO upkeep. To keep our wigs looking great, they still need TLC. Correct washing, drying, and styling products abound to help us with that.  

So, whether you are a permatease lover or not, there is a wig (or many wigs) that’s right for you and your lifestyle. That is the real beauty of wigs—they are there for us in any color or style that we want, and we can put one on and be out the door looking great in minutes. 

I have autumn fever already and have decided to go to a bit longer style. I have chosen a new wig, Racquel Welch, Upstage. Now, if I can just decide on a color… 

What is your look for autumn? Ready for a new you? 

Until next time, 

Vickie Lynn 

(Wig shown above: CASUAL CURLS WIG BY TRESSALLURE)

If you are like me, you have said multiple times during your wig journey, “oh, this is the one!” The falling in love with a wig process: After deciding on a color or two, the kind of cap that makes us happy, and a style or two, then we look—and look. We fall in love. There is no cure for it. But the magical thing about wigs is that even those you look at when you get it home and say, “hum” and you may put away—by some miracle when you get that wig out months later, you fall in love over again.

What makes us fall in love, out of love, and back in love with our wigs? No one knows, or if they do I wish they would tell me! I do have a theory though. It’s when magic meets reality, and we see that wigs just like people have flaws, but we love them anyway. Yes, we love them because they give us a new version of ourselves. We can be who we want to be. We can look casual, sophisticated, sporty, sexy, and everything in-between and in multiple colors. Never mind that there are the little hairs flying around on top, or that those long, beautiful styles that clump or frizz on the ends due to friction, make us cry and say naughty things. Yes, maintenance is a big deal on some styles. But if you love it, it’s worth it.

How much maintenance is required can make us love our wigs a bit less or a bit more. Yes, there are many things to consider when buying a wig, and the cost is just one of them. I try to think one thing: will this wig make me happy when I wear it, and let me forget that I’m wearing it? That is a big deal for me. I don’t want to go through my day wondering if my wig is secure if it looks “wiggy” or deals with a cap that is irritating. Love for me is more complicated than just how I look in the wig. It’s how I feel in it, and how comfortable I am in it in every way.

Maybe we need to be a bit more realistic about wigs and the maintenance thereof. There is no perfect anything, and that includes wigs. We make our choices based on many criteria, and we all know those. Cost, cap, style-length, color—and then do we think of maintenance? I admit that I did not think about it at all when I first started wearing wigs. I learned the hard way how important it is.

I love my wigs and I am truly grateful that there are so many to pick from these days. My attitude changes when I put one of mine on and get ready to go out to see the world. I know the world will be seeing me. I look in the mirror and see who I want to be, and that is worth a lot. Because I am happy and feel secure with my choice, I go about my day feeling confident, and that can make a difference in one’s day.

But to get back to the topic, the question at the beginning—of course, there is not “the one” at all. There are many and we have enough love to go around, right?
Thinking about those fall styles yet?

Vickie Lynn

(Wig shown above: ZANE WIG BY NORIKO)

Are you, like so many others, thinking about many things when it comes to wig-wearing? There is, after all, an endless number of things to worry about. Which wig is best for me? What about the style, the color, the capsize…and the cap itself? Must I get heat-friendly for it to look realistic? Can I deal with a wig with no mono top or mono part? Do I need a lace front? And what about permatese? Can I cut bangs into the wig? How do I wash it, dry it, thin it out, store it, and keep it looking good? You see what I mean when I say endless.

The good news is that there are people who have gone down this path before you and have left you a wealth of knowledge to save you some worry. If you have gotten this far, to be reading this, you are likely familiar with the great customer service at WigStudio-1. There isn’t much they don’t know about wigs and wig care. Between their amazing customer service and the fabulous wig reviewers they work with, you are in good hands.

Other than all the questions we wig wearers have as noted above, there are plenty more that are not as easy to answer. What wig style is best for me—the me that is now over 40, 50, 60, 70, and so on? Can the right wig style and color make me look ten years younger?

I’m not big on giving promises about things that I can’t control, but I can tell you that I did see the difference for myself when I lightened my color and shortened my hairstyle. No, you don’t have to have an old-style short, boring look. Look at Jennifer Aniston, Charlize Theron, for example. They have different skin tones, face shapes, and they make the most of their personal attributes by picking hair colors and styles that flatter their face shape, and their skin tones. There are many more examples that you can find in older women as well. Sharon Stone (63) and Helen Mirren (76) come to mind. Though of different generations, both are over 60 and both are currently sporting short hair that is not only stylish but sexy as well.

Like it or not, and we do NOT, our biological hair thins, fades, and gets more brittle. But we have wigs to help. Our skin color and tone also fade, and we can’t stay stuck with hair color, hairstyles, and makeup colors at 50 and beyond that, we had at 20 or even 30. Though styles and cuts will go out of fashion, what is always in fashion is a good style for YOU, and the right color for YOU. Sometimes, it takes a while to realize that time has moved on, but maybe, well—we didn’t move on so much with our look. Are you still trying to pull off the look you had 10 years ago?

Another worry I hear about constantly is the long hair issue. Yes, of course, you can still wear long hair after 40 if it is the right style/cut for you and your face shape. The best thing to remember about this subject is that long, straight hair can drag the face down, especially in order women. If you have a long neck too it’s even more of a challenge. The answer is adding some waves or curls around your face lighten up the hair around your face and consider bangs. If you were blonde for years and now think “too blonde” is not for you or looks too unrealistic or harsh for your age, go with a wig that has highlights around the face, and many do. As for bangs, the experts say that side-swept or wispy are usually the best for older women. Layers are little miracles, I hear. Not only do they give the hair/wig more body and life, but they also give you more styling options. Don’t rule out the classic bob or pixie cut. If you have the face shape for it, go for it. They don’t drag the face down, they look youthful, and are easy to work with and style.

In the end, it all goes back to one thing: wear what makes you happy. And if you learn what works best for you, you will be happier for sure. Can the right wig style and color make you look ten years younger? I can’t guarantee that, but I’d almost bet on five at least. That’s what I was told when I shortened my styles and lightened my colors. I’ll take it.

Until next week, stop worrying decide what looks best on you, and go for it.

Vickie Lynn

(Wig pictured above : Megan Petite wig by Fair Fashion)

It’s the holidays, a gathering time, and sometimes you will be seeing old friends or family members that you may not have seen in months or longer. We all want to look our best and our hair is a big part of our look, our style, what makes us feel more confident. So…what happens when someone you barely know, or someone you may not have seen in a long time asks about your hair. How do you respond when someone asks, “are you wearing a wig?”

Of course, you may have already had to deal with this, and you have your own responses based upon who asks, and how you feel about sharing your wig journey. But here are a few answers that I received when I asked wig wearers this question:

When asked how to respond to “Are you wearing a wig?” and “Is that your real hair?” Here are some responses from real wig wearers:

1. I love it. Isn’t it great?
2. Why do you ask? 
3. Yes, and here’s why (if you feel like sharing)
4. Oh, that’s a sensitive question.
5. Wig? What wig?

I’m sure you have your own responses. The good news is that it is much harder to spot a wig wearer these days. Wigs are more realistic than ever. But here are a few tips to help you avoid worrying about it. 

What will give you away

1. Please, take that hair out of the box and own it. Don’t plop it on your head and expect perfection. You must make it your own. If you don’t know how to do that, learn before you wear it out. Don’t be afraid of your wig. Wigs are manufactured in a way that is “one fits a majority” in that you must customize them. That might include taking it to a stylist. 
2. If you are not secure in your wig, it will show. It will call attention to the fact that something is not exactly as it should be. You will not move your head as naturally and might always be touching your wig or adjusting it. 
3. Too MUCH VOLUME! Yes, some “big hair” girls are loathed to give that up, but nothing says “wig” louder than a big pile of hair on your head that nature could not have bestowed. Go for lower density, hand-tied wigs that look more natural if you want to avoid people asking you if you are wearing a wig. 
4. Watch the hairline. Keep your wig at a natural hairline. Set too far back or forward, it will not look natural and won’t be as comfortable either. 
5. Color and style are the other two things that can draw unwanted attention to your hair/wig. Yes, women color their bio hair and change their styles. But if you are trying to look as if you have real hair, and not share your wig secret, staying close to your natural color family, one that compliments your skin tone will work best. There is a range of colors that work for each person better. Find yours and have fun with styles. 

In the end, it is up to you. Do you want to blend in and not have your wig a point of discussion, or you don’t care who knows you are wearing one, and have no problem discussing it? How you answer that will guide your decisions. There is no need for a bad first experience in wig-wearing, or at any time. There is so much help out there, and you are certainly not alone on this journey. 

Have a great holiday season and join the WigStudio1 Facebook group for great tips on these topics and many more.

Vickie Lynn

(Wig pictured above: READY FOR TAKEOFF WIG BY RAQUEL WELCH)

Whether it’s needing more time to think about ourselves during the pandemic shutdown, or not, a lot of women seem to be embracing their gray, white, and silver hair. So many are saying that they are ready to give up the coloring processes and learn to love their hair the way it is now. For wig wearers, it is a bit different. We can change our color any time and with little fuss. But the same core question remains—are we afraid to go gray? 

Gray doesn’t have to mean “old” or any age. However, the challenge seems to be learning how to make that change. If you have worn a brunette wig for five years, should you just turn up one day in a lovely gray or silver wig, or if you’ve not shared your wig journey, should you have a transition color/wig? There is no one answer to that question. It all depends upon your comfort level. Fortunately, there are resources to support any decision you make.

If you do decide to “just go for it” get help if you think you need it; learn what brands carry the wig styles and cap construction that you prefer. 

Tips from the professionals about choosing a color/shade and style:

• Go for a soft color with dimension. Nothing screams “fake” like a flat solid root-to-tip color with no variation.
• Color should always be multi-tonal, especially as you age. That is true for blondes as well. 
• Remember, in most cases, we lose plumpness in our faces as we age. The styles that looked good on you at thirty might look too harsh now. For example, a too blunt bob, close to the jawline and with no layering is very severe.
• Go for a layered style and one a little below the jawline.
• Tone- is so important, and wig wearers must learn to care for their wigs to protect the color/tone.

Short or long as we age? A question that never goes away. Ask yourself if your style makes your face look younger or older. Does the too-long hair pull the face down? Would you look better with a shorter, more face-flattering style? So many people get caught up in the look of the wig—you are interested in how the wig looks on you—huge difference. 

Don’t be afraid to claim your color—and don’t be afraid of gray! Try different shades/tones and get help if you need it. There are in-between colors you can choose, but often the salt/pepper colors age us more than a lovely silver or white. It’s all about the shade/tone, color, and style. 

If you had rather take the plunge more slowly, there are some lovely options. Ellen Wille Smoke Mix and Pearl Rooted are lovely, and Raquel Welch Silver and Smoke, Iced Granita, and Silver Mist come to mind. 

Skin Tone: Yes, it is ever important as we age because it changes. Know your skin tone, and that will help you key in on colors/shades that will look best on you. For example, if you have a cool skin tone you likely already know that ashy colors, shades of honey, beige, and gray work well for you. For shades of grey hair or any color, tone, color gradient, and dimension are key. Flat equals fake. 

Just two of my favorites. Notice the dimension, the shadings. No flat, drab and lifeless look with these!  

Until next time, here I am thinking that I might go gray…hum. 

Vickie Lynn 

As lovely as your wig may be, and as beautiful as you may look in that style and color, it’s not a great experience if your head is uncomfortable. Is your head itchy after an hour, do you get a headache, is your head overly heated? This could be due to several things: how much helper hair is in your wig, the fit of the cap, the wig construction itself. What is touching your head? How is your wig secured?

You must be at peace with the wig you’ve chosen, and the cap plays a huge role. Maybe it plays a larger role than you thought, but if you are like me, you learned quickly that cap comfort can make or break your day.
When I first started on my wig journey, I was all about color and style. I didn’t know about permatese, the difference in fibers, what heat-friendly meant, or that all wigs with lace fronts were not created equal. Not to mention that I knew little or nothing about mono tops, partial mono tops, mono parts, or anything about the cap that I was going to be wearing on my head for many hours a day every day. Maybe you knew more than I did about wigs when you started, but I’ve since learned that so many people get discouraged about the very basics of wig-wearing—the cap, and how to keep the wig on.

As you can imagine, after wearing an uncomfortable wig for nine hours or more, I was unhappy with my first wig decision. Of course, the wig itself was fine. The color, style, and actual fit were good. My problem was that I had a sensitive scalp, and I needed a monofilament top, something easier on that area of my head that was most sensitive. I needed a lace front because I didn’t want to always wear bangs or worry about the wind blowing up and showing the edge of the wig. I needed a wig with a bit of stretch. Unfortunately, I just didn’t know what I needed until it was a problem. And worse, I had no idea what my options were. For fortunately for you and me we now have so much more information and companies like this that make a great effort to educate their buyers and help them make good decisions about what works best for them. We all have different needs when it comes to wig-wearing, just like we all have different tastes in styles and colors. It’s all about figuring out what we need to be happy with our wig. It’s a process.

After trial and error, I made peace with one of Raquel Welch’s wigs. It had everything that I had decided I needed to be a happy wig wearer. I have only strayed from the brand once and was disappointed. That’s not to say that there are not many other great options out there, and I will likely try others, but once I knew what would make me happy, I felt more secure in branching out with color and style. I came to see that a wig cap made all the difference. I’ve never made that mistake again.

If you are new to wigs, it is helpful to get some advice about wig cap structure and your options. Think about how you will be wearing your wig—many hours a day? What is your environment—hot, outdoors, moving around a lot? How sensitive is your scalp? How true to wig cap size are you—do you know how to decide between petite, average, and large and how to make adjustments to the wigs? How comfortable are you with wig security? Do you know the options available to you?

As you can see, and as many of you have already learned or are now learning, that cap that no one sees but you is just as important, if not more so at times than what everyone does see—the color, the style. Don’t shortchange yourself on the cap. You will never be entirely happy with your wig choice if you pick the wrong cap. And the one you want, or need might cost a bit more, but it will be worth it every single day if you can go through the day and not think about your wig. Trust me on this.

Happy wig days as we go into fall. I’m going to try a new style and color, how about you?

Vickie Lynn

If you are feeling a bit blah and in need of a bit of excitement, how about a new wig style for the holidays? What better time to step out of your routine and your usual look and to try something different? The holidays, with the parties and celebrations, is the perfect time to swap out your “usual” with the different. 

Have you been wanting to try another style or color, but have been putting it off? Now is the time. It is that time of the year when new hairstyles are a common thing, so you can pull off a change a lot easier if you are worried about everyone noticing the difference. 

Things to think about as you determine what new look might be best for you:

• Don’t forget the same rules still apply—go with your best color family, the best style for your face shape, maybe branch out a little. Pick that radiant red, or the lighter blonde, or that rich brown—so many choices.
• Are you longing for that up-do, that sophisticated look you used to pull off when you were younger maybe, or when you had more bio hair? Then maybe look at the longer styles you can work with on a sophisticated do.
• Don’t forget to get your hairstylist involved if you do not feel comfortable tweaking, trimming, or altering the wig.
• Get your new wig in plenty of time to work with it before the big event, party, or holiday gathering so that you feel it is you and not new. You do not want to spend the entire night worrying about how you look.
• If you are new to wigs it’s even more important to give yourself plenty of time to make the new wig your own, and time to get help from a stylist if needed. 

A new wig is always exciting and especially if you love it once you try it on. But sometimes, just like when ordering a dress online and getting it home and wondering what you were thinking—ugh. We know that things don’t always work out. That’s why it is so important not to get carried away by the look of the wig on a model or someone else. Helper hair is supposed to be just that, a helper for us, not another challenge we have to overcome. By sticking to the “rules” like knowing what kind of cap you want, what kind of fibers, what colors work for you, and what lengths are flattering, your chance of disappointment is greatly diminished. 

So, with all this in mind, spend some time on the website, watch some videos, talk to your stylist if you have one who knows you well. Think about what events, parties, gatherings that you will be going to over the holidays, and what you would like to wear. Will it be a casual family thing, a big corporate dinner party, a trip to see relatives or friends? Let those things help guide you. Will you have a lot of time to spend getting dressed, and do you plan to use a hairdresser to help you for the big night or do you want something chic but easy like a smart bob in a new color? Or maybe both? Do you have multiple functions that one wig could work for, maybe put up for one function and left down for another? Now is the time to think about it.

No one wants to add more stress to the holidays, especially if you are having guests, or if you are traveling. Make it easy on yourself by preparing in advance.

Wishing you a lovely fall…and a fun Halloween! 

Vickie Lynn